Living in Heidelberg

Heidelberg Attractions

Home to the oldest university in Germany, Heidelberg suffered during 17th-century wars and was rebuilt in the 18th century, using the old Gothic street layout but with Baroque buildings. The historic city center's Gothic streets are easy to navigate on foot. Fourteenth-century Heidelberg Castle is the symbolic heart of the city. Alte Brucke is a beautiful 18th-century bridge. This university town also has a historic Student Jail, for visitors who take both their history and education seriously. For more information about the city of Heidelberg, visit www.heidelberg.de/.

Culture and Entertainment

There is hardly any other city of similar size in Germany that offers such a multifaceted and extensive cultural scene as Heidelberg. Two highly esteemed orchestras stand at the forefront of concert music life: The Heidelberg Philharmonic Orchestra and the Heidelberg Symphony Orchestra. “Classical” festival highlights through the year are the chamber music festival and the “Heidelberg Spring Festival” concerts. Each fall, the crème-de-la-crème of international jazz gathers for the enjoyJazz Festival in the region. The Kutlurhaus Karlstorbahnhof has its finger on the pulse of popular culture. The Heidelberg/Mannheim International Film Festival presents enthusiastic audiences with non-mainstream films. Between the great tower and the many-windowed hall, against the fabulous backdrop of the castle, plays are performed each year on several stages during the Castle Festival. The Municipal Theater (Heidelberg City Theater or Stadttheater) also celebrated a brilliant resurrection starting with the 2005 season under the new management of Peter Spuhler. The “Stückemarkt” forum for young playwrights, the “Literaturtage” contemporary literature festival or the POET festival of the poetic avant-garde are further regular highlights of the city’s cultural calendar.

To search for cultural/entertainment offerings in Heidelberg and the surrounding area, see the following website: www.godelta.de

Top 15 Things to do in and around Heidelberg for under 10 Euros

See a movie in English at Gloriette, Gloria, or Karlstor Cinemas (see websites for current schedules)
Have coffee and cake at Café Knoesel, the oldest coffee house in Heidelberg.
Listen to a jazz jam-session at the Cave.
Ride the mountain railway up to the Castle and to the top of the Koenigstuhl.
Hear a band at the Schwimmbad Music Club (Next door to the Youth Hostel)
Learn about regional history at the Kurpfaelzisches Museum and check out the Art Gallery in the same building.
Enjoy the huge grounds and attractions at the Luisenpark in Mannheim.
See the lions, tigers, and bears at the Heidelberg Zoo, next-door to the Youth Hostel.
Sip a cup of coffee on the Market Square and take in the views of the Town Hall and Church of the Holy Ghost.
See an opera at the Heidelberg opera house (Stadttheater Heidelberg) or take a Strassenbahn to Mannheim and see an opera at the National Theater.
Go to a concert at Karlstor Bahnhof
Climb up the tower of the Church of the Holy Ghost (Heiliggeistkirche) and take in the spectacular view.
Visit the Technical Museum (Landesmuseum fuer Technik) in Mannheim and check-out the interactive experiments and hands-on exhibits. While you’re in Mannheim take in the extensive art collection at the Kunsthalle Mannheim (near the famous water tower [Wasserturm])
Have a coffee and a bagel at Star Coffee or order anything at Caf&ecaute; Regie (next-door to the theater) and surf the internet with your laptop for free.
Roam the baroque gardens and palace in Schwetzingen.

Top 15 Things to do for free in and around Heidelberg

Practice!
Study!
Take the ½ hour bike ride through the fields near the Youth Hostel to the old town of Ladenburg.
Take an extended bike tour or hop on the Strassenbahn to the old town of Weinheim.
Ride your bike/take the Strassenbahn to Schriesheim and hike up to the Strahlenburg fortress.
On a warm sunny day, take a Frisbee or football/soccer ball with you and enjoy the large grassy area on the banks of the Neckar known as the Neckarwiese (Neckar meadow).
Hike up to the top of the Heiligenberg and explore the ruins of St. Michaels Basilica, the Heidenloch, and the Thingstaette. Take a walk on some of the beautiful paths leading through the forest.
Admire the regal villas in the Bergstrasse or the stately houses in the Weststadt.
Walk on the famous Philosopher’s Way and enjoy breathtaking views of the river, old bridge and old town.
Take a bike ride to Neckarsteinach and its three castles.
Hike up to the Heidelberg Castle and enjoy a closer view, walk through the garden (an entrance fee is charged only for entering the courtyard or for entering the castle itself.) Enjoy the view of city lights at night.
Bring your favorite book or try out your German with a book from the stacks on the upper floor study-lounge at the University of Heidelberg Library. Great views of the old town.
Explore the Heidelberg village of Handschuhsheim, bring your favorite book along and chill-out on a bench at Handschusheim’s Graham Park.
Window-shop and admire the street-performers/musicians along the Haupstrasse.
Step in to one of the old town churches (i.e. Heiliggeistkirche, Peterskirche, Jesuitenkirche) and spend a quiet-time with God.

Special Events You Won’t Want to Miss

Fischerfest Neuenheim (Fisherman Festival) Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 6 and 7
Ladenburgstrasse, etc. Neuenheim

A favorite district among Heidelberg natives, Neuenheim puts on this festival every year out-of-doors with food, music and a flea-market over several blocks.

Castle Illumination (Schlossbeleuchtung) Saturday, Sept. 6 approx. 9:30 p.m. (after-dark)

A favorite of tourists and locals alike, several times during the summer the city of Heidelberg re-enacts the burning of the castle with a spectacular display of lights and fireworks. Good vantage points: the Neckarwiese or Theodor Heuss Bruecke (Bridge).

Ladenburg Altstadt (Old Town) Festival Sat.-Sun., Sept 13, 14

A great, easy bike ride through the fields north of the Youth Hostel, Ladenburg holds a fun festival, with food, fun and the best flea-market in the area. Worth a trip!

Dossemer Kerwe (Carnival) Sat., Sept. 20

Dossenheim is a short Strassenbahn- or 20 minute bike-ride from Heidelberg. The carnival features amusement rides including a large ferris-wheel for great views of the region on a clear day. You will also find typical German carnival-fare, like Wurst, Wurst and more Wurst and of course, a flea-market.

Heidelberger Herbst Sat. Sept. 27

The biggest festival in the Heidelberg Old Town with crowds to match, the Heidelberg Fall Festival features medieval-style booths with arts and crafts, medieval music, medieval-inspired food, amusement rides and, not to be outdone by the other festivals, a flea-market.

Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival Beginning Oct. 1

Enjoy-Jazz Festival Beginning Oct. 4

St. Martin’s Day Parade Sunday, Nov. 9 at 5 p.m.

Traditional parade through the Haupstrasse in the old town. Lots of cute kids with home-made paper lanterns celebrating the memory of St. Martin, patron saint of charity and social justice, who cut his coat in half with his sword in winter to give half to a beggar. Line-up at 4:30 p.m.in the Luisenstrasse.

Heidelberg Christmas Market Beginning Nov. 26

During this, the most popular Christmas Market in the region, the old town is transformed into a Christmas village with booths filling Uni-Platz, Marktplatz, Bismarckplatz and the Haupstrasse selling everything imaginable. Try a cup of Glühwein (hot, minced wine—ask for the non-alcoholic version!).